


The Dragon's Damsel

by Merlin-Bunny (Lefuulei)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bottom Arthur, Bottom Arthur Fest, Bottom Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Damsel in Distress AU, Dragon Merlin, Half-Dragon Merlin, Kidnapping, M/M, bottom!Arthur
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-21 00:10:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14904785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lefuulei/pseuds/Merlin-Bunny
Summary: Everyone knows that Dragons kidnap damsels so the knights can rush off to slay the beast and win the heart of a fair maiden. But one particular dragon has an even more particular habit: He likes to kidnap princes. Or rather, one prince in particular.





	The Dragon's Damsel

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to Brighid_the_Beta on Ao3 for looking this over and providing wonderful feedback to make this story better!
> 
> Also shout out to that tumblr post about gay dragons kidnapping princes which inspired this fic!

The first time the dragon had kidnapped him, Arthur was irate. He’d yelled and screamed at the beast as it unceremoniously tossed him into the tower before climbing to the top. If only he had his sword, he could have slain the beast and be done with the whole affair. It was weird the dragon hadn’t tried to hurt him during his confinement, as most dragons would when capturing a prize, or so he thought. However, he couldn’t afford to think about that in great detail as he scaled down the tower atop which the large black beast slept. At least now he knew where the dragon took refuge. 

The second time he was kidnapped, Arthur got to have a longer look at the creature who seemed to hesitate before escaping to the top of the tower. Despite it’s beastly appearance, the dragon was beautiful in an ethereal way: his scales which Arthur had thought were merely black were actually a rich navy, like the depths of the sea. His wings contrasted the darker tones with a bright azure and a green which was reminiscent of seafoam. The spikes which dotted his spine held a similar tone of color, a splash of color amidst the dark lithe form of the creature. Yet despite it’s beauty, Arthur made a mental note to keep a sword on him at all times if this was going to be the habit. And once more, he scaled down the tower while the beast slept and escaped once more. 

The third time the dragon stole him and tossed him into its fortress without so much as a second thought, Arthur had questions. “Hey! Hold on!” He shouted, running for the window and grabbing the beast’s tail, earning an angry growl in response. “Why do you keep stealing me away?!” 

“You’re….. Interesting,” A deep voice growled out, the dragon turning and climbing back down, his scales flexing and shifting as he moved toward the window and seemed intent on crawling in, bright gold eyes piercing through the shadow he’d created as his massive form blocked the sun. Arthur had to appreciate the raw strength and power he saw in the creature, after all, dragons were known as some of the most fearsome creatures in the land. He stepped back as the beast moved for the window, watching as it seemed to transform into… Well he wasn’t a man per-say. 

He observed the dragon’s new form with shock, taking in the sight of a human face with sharp cheekbones and a mop of messy and matted black hair, and human arms and chest all of pale skin in contrast to the dark scales which dotted throughout. But there were hints of his dragon heritage: the beastial legs, his tail… The wings remained, though more appropriate for his size now, and there were sleek spiraled horns extending back over his skull from his forehead. The dragon’s ears weren't ears at all, resembling the fins of a fish with blue-green skin between bony black spines. And his eyes… His eyes were the same brilliant gold as before, black scales spotted around them atop his pale skin. Arthur sucked in a sharp breath in his surprise, unsure of just how to feel about this strange creature before him.

“You’re not scared of me?” The beast asked, looking at him curiously, or at least, Arthur supposed it was curiosity. The other’s brow was taken up by the horns and scales so it was hard to tell just what he thought or felt, but one ear had perked up while the other lay more flat. Arthur shook his head, he found he hadn’t really been scared of the half man-half dragon before him. In response to Arthur’s lack of far, the creature quickly crowded his space with an absolutely feral look in his eyes, as he found he was now nearly nose to nose with it and desperately resisting the urge to step back. The beast was a head taller, he noted idly, and bigger than him. Arthur supposed that made sense, considering the former’s nature, but he was distracted by the eyes which peered into his own; where the whites of the eyes should have been was solid gold, shimmering around solid gold irises and reptilian pupils widened with curiosity as the draconian figure examined him. The expression the beast held reminded Arthur of an overgrown cat the first time it spotted a rat scurrying about the stables.

Then the beast stepped back and began to circle him and Arthur felt as though he were a mare being appraised for breeding by the owner of a prized stallion. He couldn’t help the slight twitch of his fingers before curling them into fists. He was used to being inspected by the lords and ladies of the court as they tried to evaluate if he would be a good fit for their daughters. Yet he’d never been inspected quite… like this. There was something different about how the beast looked him over, as though he were assessing him more out of curiosity than greed.

“What is this extra skin you wear?” The dragon’s voice broke his thoughts, Arthur taking note of the nearly Gaelic accent to the creature’s voice. Somehow, he hadn’t expected the strange human lilt of his voice, clearer now without the extra rumble of his dragon form.

“Extra skin—do you mean my clothes?” He asked with a tone of uncertainty, as he turned to face the dragon but was quickly pushed back to his previous position. “Hang on— you can’t just push me around like that!” He squawked indignantly, offended by how easily he’d been manhandled. “And it’s not skin, they’re called clothes. Obviously something you’ve not heard of!”

“What is ‘clothes’? What purpose does it serve? It seems.. annoying,” the dragon asked curiously, tugging on Arthur’s tunic with enough force that the prince suddenly felt as though it could easily be torn off. Despite the slight fizz of excitement that idea triggered in certain parts of him, it wasn’t something he wanted to happen.

“Whoa! Hands off! Clothing is worn for modesty,” he stated, swatting at the beast’s clawed hand and turning about to face him, not hiding his own appraisal of the other’s form. “Something you clearly haven’t heard of either,” he muttered, realizing that save for some weird scales at his groin, the dragon was nude before him. 

“Modesty? Why bother? The clothing would get in the way of flight and mating,” the beast said, as though it had read Arthur’s mind. Arthur did not want to think much on the mating habits of dragons. He didn’t even know how one would mate when their body looked like that.

“Why have you kidnapped me?” He asked again, hoping for a more elaborate answer than being ‘interesting’. 

The dragon glanced away, his wings folding neatly behind his back and the ears dropping low. It was like watching a cat express emotions, Arthur considered briefly. Then the dragon was speaking, catching his attention once more with that strange accent in his voice. “... despite my appearance I’ve not interacted with many humans… I find myself drawn to the male ones but most would try and slay me or harm me… you’ve done neither,” his eyes were on Arthur again, gaze piercing,yet Arthur found no malice there. “You are... different…”

It wasn’t as though Arthur hadn’t thought of killing the dragon. Its death would solve the issue of constantly being taken away from his prior engagements and promised praise from his father. Yet despite his plan to keep a sword with him at all times should the beast return, he had left it with his steed while trying to woo Lady Elaine. “But why continue to kidnap me? Surely you know that my father would send men after you to bring me back in spite of my escaping?”

“Yet you haven’t told of this location or else we wouldn’t be here,” the dragon argued back, one frilled ear lifting like one might lift their eyebrow. Arthur wanted to argue that but it was true: he hadn’t relayed the location of the beast’s keep even though his father had wanted him to. Arthur had simply played it off as being too difficult to remember just how he got from here to Camelot’s snug walls. He’d have a harder time using the excuse a third time. 

Shrugging it off, he decided to change the subject. “Do you have a name?”

The dragon seemed to pause at that question, staring unnervingly at him for a moment before answering slowly and cautiously. “...Merlin…. My name… is Merlin.” 

The caution was somewhat curious but he didn’t press for more. “I’m--”

“Arthur Pendragon. I don’t think there’s a creature in this land who doesn’t know who you are,” Merlin cut him off, to Arthur’s surprise. While it was true his name oft preceded him, he didn’t think a Dragon or any such magical creature would care to know his name. 

“...Right…”

After a long drawn out moment of silence, Merlin turned and began for the window again. Before Arthur knew what he was doing, he grabbed ahold of Merlin’s wrist, causing the dragon to pause. “It’s about time you escaped, is it not?” The dragon asked, glancing back at Arthur.

Arthur paused for a moment, looking down at the ground. Should he leave? He didn’t want to. He wanted to know more about this beast--about Merlin. The dragon with a human-like appearance, the dragon who had a keen interest in male humans. “...You’re a mystery, Merlin. One I can’t quite figure out,” He stated plainly before looking up at him, “...I don’t intend to leave. Not yet. I… I want to know more about you.”


End file.
